New-look Marvel Building to debut at A&H Museums

A rendering of the renovated Germaine Marvel Building at the Art & History Museums -- Maitland.

A rendering of the renovated Germaine Marvel Building at the Art & History Museums -- Maitland. (A&H Museums)

Matthew J. Palm, Orlando Sentinel Arts Writer

For years, the Germaine Marvel Building has been the site of weddings, meetings and more. This week, the historic structure at the Art & History Museums — Maitland will reopen after extensive renovations.

Now featuring an open plan, the Marvel Building welcomes guests with a new entrance that opens into two main areas. The space features separate entrances and a floating divider. There have also been updates made to the food-preparation area, as well as an expansion of the restrooms.

For a more open feel to the space, an installed window wall and relaxing wrap-around patio allow guests to take in the natural beauty of the museums' campus at 231 W. Packwood Ave.

In addition to the renovations, improvements have been made to various aspects of the gathering space and interior. New projector screens, tables and chairs were also part of the upgrade.

"We're thrilled to be able to offer the community a new facility rooted in such a strong legacy," says Andrea Bailey Cox, executive director of the A&H Museums. "We are so grateful for all of the hard work and dedication of our partners in the community, as well as those who devoted countless hours to making the renovation a reality."

The A&H first announced the renovations, which cost more than $400,000, in January 2013.

The refurbished building will be unveiled at a ribbon-cutting ceremony at 6 p.m. Friday, Aug. 8. Speakers will include Cox; Hudson Marvel, son of Germaine Marvel (the building's namesake); Maitland Mayor Howard Schieferdecker; Orange County Commissioner Ted Edwards; Orange County Director of Cultural Affairs Terry Olson; State Rep. Karen Castor Dentel (D-Maitland); and Valerie Seidel, president of the Art & History Museums – Maitland.